Young Derbyshire dad died on Dronfield bypass after motoring ‘misjudgement’

Sam Moorhouse with his daughter Darcy. Picture submitted.

Michael Broomhead

Published:16:40Updated:20:41Monday 07 November 2016

A young father died in a catastrophic crash on a main Derbyshire road after making a ‘misjudgement’, an inquest heard.

Sam Moorhouse, 27, was driving his yellow Mini Coupe on the Dronfield bypass when he overtook another car, clipped it and lost control – smashing into and destroying almost 30 metres of wooden fencing.

The Dronfield bypass.

Mr Moorhouse was impaled by a piece of wood while his girlfriend, who was in the passenger’s side, suffered extreme head injuries.

During the inquest at Chesterfield coroners’ court on Monday, Ashley Teasel told how he was driving his Vauxhall Corsa on the Dronfield bypass at about 9.15pm on January 23.

He said: “I was travelling in the slow lane. A car came up behind me, overtook me then cut back into the slow lane too soon. It clipped my vehicle and spun off.”

Following the crash, Mr Teasel stopped his car and called 999.

Police, paramedics and firefighters attended the scene – but mechanic Mr Moorhouse was sadly pronounced dead just before 9.45pm despite desperate attempts to save his life.

Coroner James Newman said: “Mr Moorhouse’s injuries are some of the most extreme I’ve seen reported in a post-mortem examination.”

Turning to Mr Moorhouse’s parents, he added: “I don’t believe your son would have suffered.”

But Mr Newman said: “We can’t say, on the balance of probability, that the injuries would not have occurred had the fencing been put up according to these guidelines.

“However, I’ll write to Derbyshire County Council to make sure the authority is aware of best practice guidelines and that they will be adhered to in the future.”

The court heard Mr Moorhouse, of King George Street, Wirksworth, was not under the influence of either alcohol or drugs. Neither Mr Moorhouse nor Mr Teasel were speeding.

Recording a conclusion of death by a road traffic collision, Mr Newman said: “Mr Moorhouse was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He made a misjudgement. A passing impact caused his Mini to spin out of control and collide with wooden fencing.”